Want to Help Hudson Valley Frogs and Salamanders this Spring?

It's almost time for the annual breeding migrations of salamanders and frogs! While it sounds silly, it actually brings out a ton of Hudson Valley volunteers and animal lovers.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced on Friday March 8th that the salamander and frog migration will start mid-March.

In the press release the DEC explains that "After the ground has started to thaw in late winter and early spring, species such as spotted salamander and wood frog emerge from underground winter shelters in the forest and walk overland to woodland pools for breeding. In New York's Hudson Valley, this migration usually occurs on rainy nights from mid-March to early April, when the night air temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit."

During "big night" migrations hundreds of frogs and salamanders are on the move. Many of the amphibians have to cross the road and that's where the Hudson Valley steps in.

Volunteers of the Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings Project help the creatures cross the roads safely all while collecting data. There are over " 370 project volunteers have counted 20 species of amphibians and helped nearly 12,000 cross roads."